The present invention provides lithium nickelate-based positive electrode active substance particles having a high energy density which are excellent in charge/discharge cycle characteristics when highly charged, and hardly suffer from generation of gases upon storage under high-temperature conditions, and a process for producing the positive electrode active substance particles, as well as a non-aqueous electrolyte secondary battery. The present invention relates to positive electrode active substance particles each comprising a core particle X comprising a lithium nickelate composite oxide having a layer structure which is represented by the formula: Li.sub.1+aNi.sub.1−b−cCo.sub.bM.sub.cO.sub.2 wherein M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mn, Al, B, Mg, Ti, Sn, Zn and Zr; a is a number of −0.1 to 0.2 (−0.1•a•0.2); b is a number of 0.05 to 0.5 (0.05•b•0.5); and c is a number of 0.01 to 0.4 (0.01•c•0.4); a coating compound Y comprising at least one element selected from the group consisting of Al, Mg, Zr, Ti and Si; and a coating compound Z comprising an Li element, in which a content of lithium hydroxide LiOH in the positive electrode active substance particles is not more than 0.40% by weight, a content of lithium carbonate Li.sub.2CO.sub.3 in the positive electrode active substance particles is not more than 0.65% by weight, and a weight ratio of the content of lithium carbonate to the content of lithium hydroxide is not less than 1.

Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for performing immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. Embodiments of apparatus described herein include a chamber body defining a processing volume. Electrodes may be disposed adjacent the process volume and process fluid is provided to the process volume via a plurality of fluid conduits to facilitate immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. A post process chamber for rinsing, developing, and drying a substrate is also provided.

Embodiments described herein relate to methods and apparatus for performing immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. Embodiments of apparatus described herein include a chamber body defining a processing volume. Electrodes may be disposed adjacent the process volume and process fluid is provided to the process volume via a plurality of fluid conduits to facilitate immersion field guided post exposure bake processes. A post process chamber for rinsing, developing, and drying a substrate is also provided.

The present invention relates to a ruthenium thin film-forming method for forming a ruthenium thin film using a ruthenium precursor, in which tricarbonyl (η.sup.4-methylene-1,3-propanediyl) ruthenium ((CO).sub.3Ru-TMM)) having a structure represented by the following formula 1 is used as the ruthenium precursor, and the method includes a stage of forming a ruthenium thin film by an atomic layer deposition at a temperature ranging from 200° C. to 350° C. using this ruthenium precursor and a reaction gas. As the reaction gas, one or more selected from the group consisting of oxygen, hydrogen, water and ammonia are preferably applied.

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The present invention relates to a ruthenium thin film-forming method for forming a ruthenium thin film using a ruthenium precursor, in which tricarbonyl (η.sup.4-methylene-1,3-propanediyl) ruthenium ((CO).sub.3Ru-TMM)) having a structure represented by the following formula 1 is used as the ruthenium precursor, and the method includes a stage of forming a ruthenium thin film by an atomic layer deposition at a temperature ranging from 200° C. to 350° C. using this ruthenium precursor and a reaction gas. As the reaction gas, one or more selected from the group consisting of oxygen, hydrogen, water and ammonia are preferably applied.

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Systems and method for producing graphene on a substrate are described. Certain types of exemplar systems include lateral arrangements of a substrate gas scavenging environment and an annealing environment. Certain other types of exemplar systems include lateral arrangements of a graphene producing environment and a cooling environment, which cools the graphene produced on the substrate. Yet other types of exemplar systems include lateral arrangements of a localized annealing environment, localized graphene producing environment and a localized cooling environment inside the same enclosure.

Certain type of exemplar methods for producing graphene on a substrate include scavenging a first portion of the substrate and preferably, contemporaneously annealing a second portion of the substrate. Certain other type of exemplar methods for producing graphene include novel annealing techniques and/or implementing temperature profiles and gas flow rate profiles that vary as a function of lateral distance and/or cooling graphene after producing it.

Methods and systems for cleaning and treating a surface of a substrate. An exemplary method includes providing a substrate comprising a gap comprising a metal oxide and a dielectric material within a reaction chamber, and using a thermal process to selectively remove the metal oxide. Exemplary methods can further include a step of depositing a metal-containing material within the gap to at least partially fill the gap and using a direct plasma and treating a surface of the metal-containing material to remove oxygen from the surface of the metal-containing material. Exemplary systems can perform the methods.

Methods and systems for cleaning and treating a surface of a substrate. An exemplary method includes providing a substrate comprising a gap comprising a metal oxide and a dielectric material within a reaction chamber, and using a thermal process to selectively remove the metal oxide. Exemplary methods can further include a step of depositing a metal-containing material within the gap to at least partially fill the gap and using a direct plasma and treating a surface of the metal-containing material to remove oxygen from the surface of the metal-containing material. Exemplary systems can perform the methods.

Apparatuses and methods for depositing materials on both sides of a web while it passes a substantially vertical direction are provided. In particular embodiments, a web does not contact any hardware components during the deposition. A web may be supported before and after the deposition chamber but not inside the deposition chamber. At such support points, the web may be exposed to different conditions (e.g., temperature) than during the deposition. Also provided are substrates having materials deposited on both sides that may be fabricated by the methods and apparatuses.

Apparatuses and methods for depositing materials on both sides of a web while it passes a substantially vertical direction are provided. In particular embodiments, a web does not contact any hardware components during the deposition. A web may be supported before and after the deposition chamber but not inside the deposition chamber. At such support points, the web may be exposed to different conditions (e.g., temperature) than during the deposition. Also provided are substrates having materials deposited on both sides that may be fabricated by the methods and apparatuses.